Praxis is a new church start. We are building a diverse and caring community of people who love to study and worship Jesus.

We will meet Sundays at 6:1﻿5 PM at the Lyman-Barners' home at 422 Lakewood Ave, Americus, GA. Our service is informal in dress. Come as you are. We invite everyone to join us for fellowship, great conversation and music led by Minister Carl McNear and communion. So no matter if you believe a little, a lot or are just exploring, you are welcome here.

About the United Church of ChristThe UCC is a welcoming, justice-minded Christian community. At a time when religion is too often portrayed as narrow-minded and exclusive, many are raising their VOICES for an alternate vision:

· Where God is all-loving and inclusive

· Where the Church of Jesus Christ welcomes and accepts everyone as they are

· Where your mind is nourished as much as your soul

· Where Jesus the healer meets Jesus the revolutionary

· Where together we grow a just and peaceful world

We practice an open communion. Everyone regardless of age or if you believe a little or believe a lot, you are welcome to participate.There are many different expressions of the love of Christ found in UCC congregations across the country and around the globe. There are progressive congregations, conservative, contemporary and traditional gatherings. What we have in common is the wisdom of the following old saying,”In essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things charity. “The unity that we seek requires neither an uncritical acceptance of any point of view, nor rigid formulation of doctrine. It does require mutual understanding and agreement as to which aspects of the Christian faith and life are essential.The UCC has a rich history. Pastors and congregations study these traditions which inform the polity and ethos of our denomination. We are known for:

Rev. Kirk Lyman-Barner grew up in the church. Both of his parents are Presbyterian ministers and his sister Kristen is also an ordained UCC minister. Kirk graduated with an Masters of Divinity from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary where he was given the The Walter L. Moser Prize in Missions for his work as founder of Almost Heaven Habitat for Humanity which grew to become Habitat's most productive rural affiliate in the United States. Kirk was on the founding board of directors of The Fuller Center for Housing and served as its Director of US Programs. He continues to volunteer in the affordable housing movement serving as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Americus-Sumter Fuller Center for Housing which he founded in 2010.

Since 2000, Kirk has been a licensed insurance agent holding several positions until in 2003 he launched his own agency Client First Insurance Solutions. With the many changes in the healthcare landscape and the realization that most professionals in Georgia were working against "Obamacare," properly known as the Affordable Care Act, he resigned from his work at the national setting of the The Fuller Center for Housing to build the premier health insurance agency in Southwest Georgia. Because of this ministry/vocation hundreds of our neighbors now have access to health insurance.

Kirk enjoys playing chess and you can tell that "he ain't from around here" because he does not hesitate letting folks know that he is a Pittsburgh Pirates fan. That acknowledged, Kirk and his family have enjoyed the hospitality they found in Americus and are proud to call Georgia home.

To contact Kirk call 229-942-9025 or email him at kirklb@praxisucc.org

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a house church?

House churches began with the earliest of followers of Christ and examples can be found in the book of Acts. There are many advantages of being part of a small group fellowship including the closeness of community, the ability to take chances with creative new ministries and of course the low overhead involved with a small group. At this time, both of our pastors serve as volunteers without compensation and we have no building rent or debt. House churches also allow for leadership opportunities in ways that may be unavailable in larger congregations.

While some house churches are independent and grew out of a frustration with organized religion and its institutions, Praxis UCC-Americus was birthed with full support of the Southeast Conference of the United Church of Christ. We believe in the importance of being connected to a larger community of Christians and enjoy the many of expressions of worship and mission that we learn about from our brothers and sisters around the world. Our pastor also gives back to the denomination by serving on the Southeast Conference UCC Members in Discernment Committee which helps folks exploring a call to ministry and by serving on the Board of Directors of the Conference. Organized religion is going through a wonderful time of rediscovery and the Praxis UCC house church is just one of many experiments in what it means to "be the Church."

How long does a service last?

Usually about an hour

What is a typical service like?

We sit in a circle and take turns with leadership on various parts of the service including the readings

The following is a sample of a typical service:

Prelude (Soft jazzy music to help us center)WelcomeCall to Worship (usually in a responsive reading)Passing of the PeaceFirst SongJoys and ConcernsPrayerLectio Divina Readings Second Song Offering (give as you can, if you didn't bring money we will give you some so that you can participate)Communion - Breaking of Bread and Pouring Wine We will serve each other by tearing a piece of bread saying “The body of Christ” and then dipping the bread into the wine or grape juice saying “The cup of life.”Closing Song BenedictionPostlude (Soft music to help us fellowship) What is a Lectio Divina Reading?

According to Wikipedia: In Christianity, Lectio Divina (Latin for divine reading) is a traditional Benedictine practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's Word.

At Praxis, we take turns reading scripture. Sometimes we listen to several translations of the same scripture. Other times we read several scriptures that have a similar theme.

Between the readings, we listen to soft music to help us contemplate and pray about what we heard. Then we ask, "What spoke to you during the hearing of these words?" Then we have a guided discussion that is intended to help us learn from each other in a safe and supportive environment that doesn't require everyone in the room to think alike.

Is your meeting space accessible?

Unfortunately, we have an unusually designed house that requires several short sets of stairs to get into the space where we worship. It is our goal to one day have a house in a neighborhood that can be zoned commercial and will be fully accessible to our members and visitors.

"The Christian Church started in homes, and I am inspired by the movement of house churches like Praxis UCC. The Gospel happens in living rooms and dinner tables. In the 80s we became infatuated with the mega-church, but now the pendulum has swung and we are seeing micro-churches springing up around the world. Ultimately, the Kingdom of God is not about getting bigger and bigger but smaller and smaller -- like yeast, mustard plant, light, salt. If every Christian family brought in a child we'd end the foster care system over night. If every Christian home made room for the stranger we'd end homelessness overnight. And if every neighborhood had a house church community, we'd see the world change."
~Shane Claiborne, author and activist